A Tangier Home That Has Passed Between Design Legends (Published 2021)

The article explores the history and transformation of Dar Zero, a 300-year-old house in Tangier, Morocco, which has served as a residence and creative canvas for several prominent design figures. Originally built in the early 18th century, the house holds a central location at 0 Place de la Casbah and has been shaped by a succession of expatriate owners, each leaving their distinctive mark while respecting its rich heritage. Among its early inhabitants were the British novelist Richard Hughes and the landscape painter Jim Wyllie. The narrative primarily focuses on its more recent history, beginning with the acquisition by interior designer Charles Sevigny and his companion, Yves Vidal, president of Knoll International. Sevigny and Vidal meticulously restored the dilapidated structure, preserving its architectural integrity and integrating their modernist design sensibilities with traditional Moorish elements. They created a unique aesthetic by pairing iconic Knoll furniture, such as Eero Saarinen Tulip chairs and Warren Platner's metal pedestal tables, with local ceramics, silk embroidered cushions, and intricate woodworking. They also undertook significant renovations, including the creation of a keyhole-arch doorway, the installation of wooden floors, and the addition of a primary bedroom with a terrace connected by a zellige staircase that wound around a centuries-old fig tree in the courtyard. This period saw Dar Zero become an extension of their more prominent residence at York Castle, a 16th-century building where they showcased Knoll's wares. Following the deterioration of York Castle, Sevigny and Vidal moved permanently into Dar Zero. After Vidal's death, Sevigny continued to live there until Jamie Creel and Marco Scarani, co-owners of the Manhattan-based shop Creel and Gow, purchased the house in 2005. Creel and Scarani had initially been hesitant to buy a home in Tangier but were persuaded by Sevigny, who wished to ensure the house passed into the hands of those who shared his values and aesthetic. They maintained the understanding that Sevigny would reside with them until his passing, which occurred in 2019. During Sevigny's lifetime, Creel and Scarani largely refrained from altering the original house. Instead, they purchased and rebuilt a neighboring residence as an extension, completed in 2018. After Sevigny's death, they embarked on a careful process of refreshing and expanding Dar Zero, which now spans 6,500 square feet. Their aim was to honor Sevigny's intentions while infusing their own style. This involved repainting faded ocher accents in more saturated marigold, adding new kitchen tiles in Kelly green and pomegranate, and incorporating fabrics from designers like Lisa Fine and Carolina Irving into new spaces, such as an airy salon and an open-air atrium. They also converted staff quarters into a marble-lined hammam and transformed Sevigny's bedroom into their own, re-upholstering his Saarinen Womb chair and adding new furnishings. Throughout the article, the continuous evolution of Dar Zero is highlighted, with each owner contributing to its layered identity. The house is presented as a palimpsest, where the influences of past residents — from the original architecture to the design choices of Hughes, Wyllie, Vidal, Sevigny, and now Creel and Scarani — are visible. The new owners' efforts to peel back layers of paint to reveal original patinas and to incorporate elements like mashrabiya mirrors and ziggurat windows demonstrate a deep respect for the house's history and the spirit of its previous inhabitants. The narrative underscores how Dar Zero has become a testament to the enduring legacy of design and the careful stewardship of a historic home. #TangierHome #DesignLegends #MoroccanArchitecture #HistoricRenovation #InteriorDesign #ExpatriateCulture #KnollFurniture #HomeTransformation #TangierHome #DesignLegends #MoroccanArchitecture #HistoricRenovation #InteriorDesign #ExpatriateCulture #KnollFurniture #HomeTransformation

48 months ago

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